Jobs before homes in Gungahlin is the message from some residents as the ACT government consults on the future of the town.
The president of the Gungahlin Community Council, Peter Elford, says he fears the town would turn into a dormitory suburb.
He says plans for substantial office space have now been reduced, with high residential blocks being built instead.
This has an economic impact.
"If you don't have a lot of people coming to work in the town centre, what are the restaurants and shops going to do?" Mr Elford said.
"You need that as an engine driving the centre."
On the latest plan, the space allocated for offices has gone from 200,000 square metres (providing space for 10,000 office workers) to 100,000 square metres.
The ACT government planners want two-thirds of that space for a big office development like a government agency.
The plan has also changed so what was a proposed business park for office blocks up to seven storeys now has residential apartment blocks of up to 22 storeys and 69 metres high.
If you don't have a lot of people coming to work in the town centre, what are the restaurants and shops going to do?
Gungahlin Community Council president Peter Elford
Mr Elford said other suburbs already had big government agencies. Tuggeranong had the Department of Social Services, while Belconnen had the Department of Home Affairs. His main worry was that by reducing the allocated space for offices, options for the future would be cut off.
"It's an opportunity lost," he said. "Every time they've looked at the target for commercial floor space, the area reserved has gone down."
The ACT government says the change of plan is because the demand for office space has not been what planners forecast.
"There has been higher demand and growth for residential development within the town centre, compared to commercial development," said the planning document.
The government reckons the population of Gungahlin will grow to 106,000 by 2028 compared with just under 80,000 today - a rise of about a third.
The ACT government wants better public spaces, particularly "improved shade, additional seating, lighting and opportunities to incorporate public art" as well as "opportunities for performance, markets and pop up vending opportunities".
Even though the tram now goes to Gungahlin, the planners don't think the car is on the way out.
"The demand for parking will continue to grow, as the town centre continues to grow," the plan says.
The height of buildings has risen. In the mid-1990s, the idea was that Gungahlin would be an "urban village" with buildings no higher than four storeys in the centre.
Growth has brought change - but some residents wonder if it's in the right direction.
